Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is this afternoon to be questioned by Parliament’s Standing Committee on his role in Partygate, the affair in which numerous drinks and parties took place in the prime minister’s official residence and flat while the rest of the country groaned under the strict rules of the crown. What the committee specifically wants to know: Did Johnson knowingly mislead parliament when he said he knew nothing?
For Johnson’s opponents, and there are many, this afternoon’s hearing is a foregone conclusion. The former prime minister mocked voters when he told parliament he knew nothing about Downing Street parties, says British correspondent Lia van Bekhoven.
Apologies
The former prime minister initially claimed there were no parties and covid rules weren’t broken, but he had to apologize when photos of Johnson holding a glass came to light and police fined him for breaking the covid rules. “The parliamentary inquiry is therefore not about whether or not to celebrate during the lockdown in the former prime minister’s office, but whether Johnson deliberately misled the House of Commons when he said he knew nothing about those drinks and parties,” he says Van Bekhoven.
In his defense, Johnson will argue that no one pointed out to him that his presence at some parties was against the rules. According to naysayers, this is Johnson in full force: blaming others. Johnson insists the probe is yet another attempt to eliminate him politically. “And some voters see it that way.”
For Johnson, who still has ambitions of becoming prime minister again, today could be decisive.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
